Compare Yankees and Tigers and Rays: Spring Training in Tampa Bay by Road Scholar vs Wonders of the American West by Insight Vacations
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Trip |
4.5 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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Duration | 6 days | 11 days |
Price From | $ 1,499 | $ 4,395 |
Price Per Day | $ 250 | $ 400 |
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Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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Travel Themes |
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Countries Visited | ||
Cities and Attractions | N/A |
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Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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Meals Included |
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Description | Come usher in spring by watching and learning about America’s pastime. You’ll attend games, speak with experts and go behind-the-scenes at Tropicana Field. | See the best of the American West on this 10-Day guided tour. Join a Local Expert at Grand Canyon National Park for a one-of-a-kind experience: Allow the expert to guide you through the park while teaching you about how this national treasure was formed. On the way to picturesque Lake Powell, stop at the Glen Canyon Dam, then lounge at the pool of your hotel. In Page, enjoy a Navajo inspired taco buffet dinner and performance. Meet a Navajo guide in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, where you will board ATVs, explore the valley and learn about the tribe’s history. Later, eat a traditional Navajo lunch amid the valley’s beautiful buttes and mesas. In Moab, see the ancient pueblo dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park, where the Ancestral Pueblo people once lived. Travel to Bryce Canyon National Park to explore its rock pillars and natural amphitheaters — then feast with your fellow travelers overlooking the park’s iconic orange rock formations. |
Day
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
St. Petersburg, FL D Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg Downtown
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon: Program Registration. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet at the front desk when you check in. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Travel and transportation will be via Eckerd College bus. The MLB Spring Schedule is usually published in December or January. At that time we will list the specific three games for this program. The schedule of lectures and activities may be adjusted accordingly. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner: In our private dining room at the hotel, we will have a plated meal including salad, a hot entrée, side dishes, bread, dessert, coffee/decaf, iced tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
Tropicana Field, Free Time, Spring Training Game
St. Petersburg, FL B,L Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg Downtown
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Walking and climbing to ballpark seats.
Breakfast: In the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers hot items such as eggs (boiled or scrambled) and meat (bacon or sausage), as well as cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt, breakfast bread or pastry, milk, juice, coffee, tea, water.
Morning: We'll take a short bus ride to Tropicana Field where a popular former sports anchor will lead us on a behind the scenes exploration of this domed stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Rays since 1998. As a participant in the planning, he is especially qualified to point out its unusual features. We’ll then visit the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame at Tropicana Field. The museum is dedicated to the greatest hitters who ever lived, from Ted Williams himself to Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Sadaharu Oh. Ted said he hoped the museum would be an architectural tribute to “what I think is the single most difficult thing in all of sports: hitting a baseball.” The priceless collection includes personal memorabilia of the players, their on-field accomplishments, and their lives beyond baseball.
Lunch: Plated meal at the hotel.
Afternoon: Play ball! We’ll attend the first of three games in this Road Scholar Spring Training program. Our program was planned far in advance when details of games were not confirmed. The MLB Spring Schedule is usually published in December or January. When available, the information will be posted on the Road Scholar website under this program number and will also be included in preparatory materials sent following enrollment. At that time, we will list the specific three games for this program. The schedule of lectures and activities may be adjusted accordingly.
Dinner: Dinner is on your own at the ball park.
Evening: Return to the hotel after the game.
Day
3
Baseball Lecture, Spring Training Game, Baseball Lecture
St. Petersburg, FL B,D Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg Downtown
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Driving approximately 1/2 hour to ballpark. Walking and climbing to ballpark seats.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: We’ll gather an expert-led session on a baseball related theme. We'll then board the bus and head to another ball game.
Lunch: Lunch is at the ballpark.
Afternoon: Play Ball! We'll attend the second of the Spring Training Games.
Dinner: Plated meal at the hotel.
Evening: We’ll gather for an expert-led session on a baseball related theme.
Day
4
Baseball Lecture, Spring Training Game, Baseball Lecture
St. Petersburg, FL B,D Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg Downtown
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Walking throughout ballpark, standing at museum.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: We’ll gather for an expert-led session on a baseball related theme, then ride to the ballpark.
Lunch: At the ball park
Afternoon: Play ball! We’ll attend the third of our three games. Our program schedule may be adjusted after the MLB publishes its Spring Schedule.
Dinner: Hotel plated meal.
Evening: We’ll gather for an expert-led session on a baseball related theme.
Day
5
Lectures, History Museum, Free Time
St. Petersburg, FL B,L,D Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg Downtown
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Walking and climbing to ballpark seats.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: In our meeting room at the hotel, we'll be joined by Bill Mathews, Eckerd College Assistant. Athletic Director, Assistant. Professor of Physical Education, and former Coach. He will walk us through team strategy, roster lineups, and how to use a scorecard. After a short break, Coach Mathews will delve into the ethics of baseball. Coach Mathews is the Tampa Bay Rays official MLB game scorecard keeper and had the honor of scoring during the 2008 playoffs and World Series at Tropicana Field. Coach will explain what constitutes an "error" and how he makes on-the-spot decisions during a game.
Lunch: Plated meal at the hotel.
Afternoon: For a change of pace, we’ll board our bus and head out for a field trip to the St. Petersburg Museum of History that collects, preserves, and communicates the history and heritage of Florida with emphasis on St. Petersburg and the Pinellas Peninsula. An expert will introduce the “Little Cooperstown” exhibit that features Dennis Schrader's collection of nearly 5,000 signed baseballs, certified by Guinness World Records as the largest collection of its kind. The exhibit also features stories and artifacts of some of baseball’s legendary players and leagues as well as Tampa Bay’s history as a Spring Training site. We will also have time to explore independently and see other museum exhibits.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 3-course plated meal with salad, choice of entrée, dessert, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
6
Program Concludes
St. Petersburg, FL B
Activity note: Hotel check-out 12:00 Noon.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet. This concludes our program. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Day 1: Arrive in Las Vegas
Welcome to glittering Las Vegas. On arrival at Las Vegas International Airport, your transfer will take you to your hotel. At 18:00, join your Travel Director and companions for a Welcome Dinner with wine at the award-winning Bacchanal Buffet.
Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.
Dinner with Wine
Day 2: The Wonders of the Grand Canyon
Journey on to Grand Canyon National Park. Choose to hike along the scenic Rim Trail with your Travel Director. Alternatively join a Local Expert, Canyon Tim, for a fascinating discussion on the wonders of this natural phenomenon, and learn about the local flora and fauna, and find out how you might be able to spot the local wildlife.
Grand Canyon National Park Lodge
Breakfast
Day 3: Grand Canyon and Lake Powell
Wake up to the backdrop of the Grand Canyon and enjoy some peace and tranquility before the day trippers arrive. You may take an optional flight-seeing helicopter ride for stunning views over the Grand Canyon before departing for the majesty of Lake Powell. Stop at Glen Canyon Dam to learn about its impact on the Colorado River before arriving at your lakefront resort. Check in to your room and enjoy the evening at leisure. Watch the sunset as you dine or relax by the pool.
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas.
Breakfast
Day 4: A Leisurely day at Lake Powell Relaxed Start
Spend the day doing entirely as you please. Perhaps join an optional float trip (signed liability waiver required) down one of the most scenic stretches of the Colorado River or take to the skies and see the sights of Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, and Horseshoe Bend with a 20 Minute landing on Tower Butte. The incredible 360-degree panoramic view this high is unlike any other. In the evening, enjoy an authentic dinner and performance at Red Heritage, a Navajo owned and operated performing arts theatre.
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 5: Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation
Journey on through the barren beauty of the desert to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, where you will MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®. Board a Jeep 4x4 to explore the valley with your Navajo guide. These sturdy all-terrain vehicles offer open sides for spectacular views and a roof to protect you from the sun. Learn about Navajo history from your guide and more about life on their beautiful land. The area is also the backdrop for many Western Hollywood hits, including "Stagecoach" and "Fort Apache." Inspired by these iconic movies, you’ll find “John Wayne’s cabin” at nearby Goulding’s Lodge. This small structure was used for exterior shots in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," starring Wayne himself. The venue also holds a cinema dedicated to Wayne and his impressive movie portfolio. Enjoy a Navajo cookout Highlight Lunch amid the giant buttes and mesas of this unique landscape before making your way to Mesa Verde National Park, where the day draws to a close. Your lodge inside the park offers sweeping vistas reaching into three states.
Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Wine
Day 6: Mesa Verde and Moab
Enjoy a comprehensive visit to the fascinating Mesa Verde National Park. View the ancient pueblo dwellings known as Cliff Palace. Settle in for a relaxing stay at your modern hotel superbly located on the charming Main Street. Later, enjoy a Dine-Around evening and choose from a hand-picked selection of excellent restaurants.
Homewood Suites, Moab.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 7: Delve into Canyonlands and Arches National Parks
In the morning, visit Arches National Park, housing the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. Stop and take a short hike to the Delicate Arch Viewpoint to view the iconic arch. Then it's on to Canyonlands National Park for a drive onto the Island in the Sky, a mesa resting 1,000 feet (305 metres) above the surrounding countryside, offering spectacular views over the dramatic sandstone formations. Back at the hotel, your evening is at leisure. Perhaps enjoy the outdoors or relax in this beautiful natural setting.
Homewood Suites, Moab.
Breakfast
Day 8: Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks
Magnificent scenery awaits at Capitol Reef National Park, best known for its Waterpocket Fold, a 100- mile-long (160 kilometre) warp in the earth's crust. Journey along scenic Byway 12 - one of the most beautiful roads in the world, winding through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. End the night at The Lodge inside Bryce Canyon National Park. Officially designated as a Dark Sky Park, brightly hued sunsets and starry nights are likely to be found here.
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
Breakfast
Day 9: Whimsical Bryce Canyon National Park Relaxed Start
Start the day traveling through Bryce Canyon National Park, the great natural Amphitheatre. These whimsical eroded rock formations that characterize this Utah National Park are some of most unusual shapes imaginable, having an abstract artistic feel to them. Learn how wind, erosion and iron oxidation created the spellbinding hoodoos with your Travel Director. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable Celebration Dinner set overlooking the park's vivacious orange and red rock formations.
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 10: Zion National Park, back to Las Vegas
Enjoy a last look at Bryce Canyon, glowing in the early morning light. Head on to Zion National Park - one of the most scenic canyons in the United States. Here, join a guided tour by a private Zion Canyon Shuttle, with live commentary, and views of the park's best sites. Your journey ends with a departure transfer to Las Vegas International Airport, arriving at 16:00.
Breakfast